“Maybe.”
“Hmm.”
I rock against him, and we both catch our breath. The way his eyes dilate is a thing of beauty.
“Don’t know if I ever told you, but I used to read a lot of romance,” I whisper in his ear. “Monster fucking was my thing.”
The way he groans. Causing him pain like this is such a pleasure. And if it’s wrong to giggle at someone’s discomfort then so be it. I am wrong.
“You’re going to talk yourself out of this, aren’t you?” he asks in the calmest of tones.
“That’s between me and my brain.”
“Pity.”
I snort and climb off of him. This needs to get shut down before it goes too far. “Go walk in the cold night air and think chaste thoughts, Dean.”
“Yeah. I’ll do that.” He shoves a hand through his hair. “Let’s experiment with the touching again soon. In fact, I think it should be a regular activity from now on. Every night, once Soph’s gone to sleep.”
“I’ll think about it.”
He cocks his head. “That’s not a no.”
And out the door he goes with a smile on his face.
SUNDAY
“I was stuck at home with some nasty bug,” Reema tells me. “How’s that for irony?”
We’re going through the empty houses one by one. Leon and Dean had to break into the bulk of them. Sometimes through a window, so we’re careful of broken glass. Weapons and ammunition, medications, and any foods not requiring refrigeration are top of the list of items we’re after. Wandering around in people’s homes like this feels so strange.
Sophie and Hazel are hanging out on the front porch while we search inside. They were keen to come inside and help. But given that we found a semiautomatic sitting on a coffee table at the last place, it’s best if they wait outside until we’re sure the spaces are safe. And the walkie-talkie is again attached to my belt in case of emergencies.
“Came down with it on the Friday,” says Reema. “I told my boys, don’t come over, you don’t want to risk getting it. Then this new virus was spreading, and they were so worried about me catching it since my immune system had already taken a beating. I worked from home for a few days just to pacify them. But by then…”
“I’m so sorry. That sounds trite, doesn’t it?”
“There isn’t one of us who hasn’t lost someone. And most of us have lost everything.”
Of course, she’s right. But to lose your children…I can’t imagine the sort of pain she’s carrying. The same goes for Natalia. Sophie has been with me for a few days, and I already feel more for her than I could have imagined.
Reema admires a cabinet full of blue and white porcelain in the living room. “Someone liked pretty things.”
It’s a delicate balance between being respectful and getting the job done. These houses are full of stories. Photos of family and friends and the remnants of everyday life. I find this fascinating in a way, poking around in people’s homes. Guess I’m curious by nature. Nosy is another word for it, and not an incorrect one either.
Reema checks out the pine cupboards and cream tile counters in the kitchen. “This hasn’t been changed since the eighties.”
“The lace curtains are something.”
“They’re dreadful. Be honest. My auntie had ones just the same.”
I laugh and head for the pantry. “We have canned chili and clam chowder, and a bag of onions. Quite a few jars of pickles and olives, too. I am calling this a win.”
“Dirty martinis are back on the menu. That’sdefinitelya win. Let’s see what the medicine cabinet has in store for us. Some more amoxycillin would be good.”
We’re collecting any and all medicines. Avan will sort the useful from the not so much. He, Naomi, Charlie, and Dean are working on the dead body problem. It was identified as being the most immediate issue. Meanwhile, Leon is resting after taking the second watch during the night and Natalia is keeping an eye on the road into town.
There’s a tidy selection of market bags just waiting for me to start packing groceries. Today’s sore muscles come care of carrying jars and cans out to the car and hauling buckets of water from the creek to the house earlier. Not to forget learning how to throw a punch in this morning’s self-defense class. Eyes, throat, and groin are now drilled into my head as prime attack spots.
